JACKSONVILLE – Keelan Cole officially became a free agent Wednesday. So did Abry Jones.
They weren't alone, with 15 other Jaguars players becoming unrestricted free agents when the 2021 NFL League Year officially began Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Jones was the most-tenured player on the Jaguars' roster last season while Cole, who originally signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent shortly after the 2017 NFL Draft, was among three veteran Jaguars receivers becoming free agents Wednesday.
Wide receiver Chris Conley and Dede Westbrook also became free agents, as did tight end Tyler Eifert – the latter of whom became a free agent when the Jaguars decided not pick up the option on his contract for 2021.
Like the other players who became free agents, Eifert is now free to sign with another team.
The Jaguars players who became free agents Wednesday at 4 p.m.:
Cole, Conley, Eifert, quarterback Mike Glennon, defensive end Adam Gotsis, cornerback D.J. Hayden, safety Josh Jones, defensive tackle Abry Jones, defensive end/linebacker Aaron Lynch, cornerback Greg Mabin, tight end James O'Shaughnessy, defensive tackle Caraun Reid, kicker Aldrick Rosas, defensive tackle Daniel Ross, tight end Eric Saubert, running back Chris Thompson and Westbrook.
The Jaguars announced they agreed to terms to re-sign Rosas and O'Shaughnessy shortly after free agency began.
The players becoming free agents started a combined 72 games for the Jaguars this past season, with Glennon starting five games. Gotsis, Jones and O'Shaughnessy all started 13 games.
The Jaguars also on Wednesday announced they have released cornerbacks Quenton Meeks, Rashaan Melvin and Josh Nurse; punter Cameron Nizialek; running back Craig Reynolds; and defensive tackles Dontavius Russell, Al Woods and Gabe Wright.
Russell was a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NFL Draft. Melvin and Woods both signed with the team as unrestricted free agents in the 2020 offseason before opting out because of COVID-19.
